The Icy Day
by LinleyHamilton123
Summary: Caroline stopped. "Well, I want YOU to understand! I have nobody to talk to all day every day, and nothing to do but work, and then you show up and then you just leave again! It's not even safe and you still go! Can't you ever stay?" Caroline/Seth


**Disclaimer: ** I do not own American Girl, the Caroline books, Caroline, Seth, or anything else of any concern.

This is my kind of combination of romance and ten-year-old Caroline. I mean, obviously it's not like that, but it's just that she is really young. I'm not even old enough for real romance. So yeah... This is not a bunch of romance obviously, but it's that genre because mine always are kind of "friendshippy" romance!

* * *

Caroline Abbott finished buttoning her winter coat, called goodbye to her grandmother, and took off running out of the house. The crisp winter air blew against her face as she slipped and skidded over patches of ice, never stopping running.

"Seth!" she screamed, as she neared the figure waking up from the harbour. "Seth! It's Caroline!"

Seth looked up and waved. Caroline smiled and hurried up to him, launching herself into his arms. "Seth! Mama was just talking about you! It's so cold, you have to come inside!"

Seth laughed and began walking with her back to the house. "What was she saying about me?"

"About the cold, of course!" Caroline repeated. "It's cold, even for you. The men in the shipyard are having so much having trouble working, but they won't stop. Mama wants to insist, but she knows the ship had to be built, too."

Seth nodded. "It is cold," he agreed. "But just like the ship workers, I have to keep going. I have to go soon. I'm sorry, Caroline."

Caroline's heart sank, and they walked in silence for a while. She was sick of Seth constantly leaving. He came, he talked, then he went on. It was positively aggravating.

When they reached the house, Caroline silently opened the door and let Seth in, but immediately shouted, "Mama, Seth says he's only coming for a little while, even though it's cold!"

Seth and Caroline joined Mama and Grandmother in the kitchen, and though Mrs. Abbott looked slightly concerned, she also looked firm. "Caroline, that really isn't your choice."

Caroline bit her lip. Seth looked annoyed, Mama angry. Remembering what her father had told her when he'd been kidnapped, Caroline tried to be fair. "I'm sorry, Seth," she said, though it was honestly a lie. "It's only that, I though you were going to stay, because Mama's message was that it's so cold. And you always go so soon. It's not like it matters what I tell Mama, anyway," Caroline added, feeling she had to protest a little bit.

Mrs. Abbott didn't say much more. She just shook her head at Caroline and resumed baking. Caroline silently grabbed Seth's hand and dragged him out of the kitchen. "Seth, you ALWAYS go so soon," she exclaimed angrily when they were safely away from earshot.

"I'm a post-walker," Seth protested, golfing up his hands. "I have to keep going."

"But this time it isn't safe!" insisted Caroline. "It's too cold! Everyone will understand!"

Seth shrugged. "I don't want them to have to understand, Caroline. I want them to trust that I'll be there."

"Frozen half to death, you mean?"

"It's not THAT cold!"

"Even if it was, I bet you'd go!"

"That's dedication!"

"I think it's stupid!"

"Good for you." Seth sounded angry. Why couldn't he understand? Her papa was gone, Lydia wasn't going to come for another week, and Rhonda was spending all her time with HER papa now that it was cold and fighting had slowed. Caroline wanted someone to come and stay and do something!

Blinking back tears of despair and fury, Caroline took a deep breath. "Let's go for a walk," she said, in a tone indicating Seth didn't have a choice.

Though neither of them talked as they walked, they both set out for the shipyard. Finally, after several minutes of quiet, she looked away and said, "Don't be angry at me, Seth. I didn't want to be mean."

Seth shrugged. "I'm not angry at you," he said casually, like he'd already forgotten the fight. "I just want you to understand."

Caroline stopped. "Well, I want YOU to understand! I have nobody to talk to all day every day, and nothing to do but work, and then you show up and then you just leave again! It's not even safe and you still go! Can't you ever stay?"

Seth stared at her. Then he shook his head. "Caroline, I work. It's not just a joke or a hobby or something. I thought you could understand that."

Caroline froze. Tears glistened on her cheeks but she didn't wipe them away. "Seth-I do-I do understand, okay?" her voice came in a rush and she instantly felt strong. "But I want you to stay just this once because I do! It's cold and the people WILL understand! Please?"

Strangely, Seth smiled. "Yeah, Caroline, okay. Okay. Fine. I'll stay. But I get to blame you if they don't understand."

Caroline was very surprised, but burst out laughing all the same. "Why'd you change, Seth?"

"I wanted to stay," Seth said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "But I hope the people understand is all." He grabbed Caroline's hand. "Let's go back now. It'a cold."

"Oh, really?" Caroline giggled, taking off running. "Come on! Run!"

* * *

Did you like it? I hope so!

Please review! I know it was a bit long and a bit weird, but I hope you liked it anyhow!

Linley =)

Note: I love Caroline, and own all her books and her and everything, so yeah... Basically, this wasn't random, I wanted to write a story and I thought... Well, okay it was random. But I do like her, this wasn't just weird or something is what I mean! Yeah...


End file.
